1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to rotary machines and more particularly to a rotary machine having a plurality of rotatable vanes attached to a stationary center shaft and extending through an off-center hollow rotor into sliding contact with the inner wall of a housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rotating machines utilizing rotatable vanes attached to a stationary center shaft and extending through a rotatable off-center hollow cylindrical rotor into sliding contact with the wall of a housing are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,892,502 issued to E. Pritchard and U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,403 issued to R. L. Jensen are exemplary of such machines. A problem with some prior art rotary vane machines is that they cannot successfully operate under high pressure and heat. This inability to operate under high pressure and heat is due to poor seals on the vanes and high torque on the vanes.
Several prior art vane type machines utilize a half moon slide and swivel type seal. These type seals allow the blades to slide in and out through the seal between the half moons and also permit swivel motion. A problem with this type construction is that the pressure on the seal, when used in an internal combustion engine, can develop a very high force which can damage or destroy the seal.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,748,068; 3,797,975; and 3,883,277 illustrate rotary vane devices wherein one or more rollers are disposed between adjacent vanes. The rollers serve as vane guides and provide a seal as the vane moves. The rollers serve as a part of a piston as well as an interdigitating means for the vanes. Each roller is rotatably mounted on a shaft which extends between circular plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,909 illustrates a rotary internal combustion engine including an outer rotor and a smaller inner rotor having offset axes. A plurality of vanes are rotatably attached to a shaft, which is concentric with the outer rotor, and extend through slots in the inner rotor to make sliding contact with the inside wall of the outer rotor. As the vanes, which define combustion chambers therebetween, rotate they expose inlet and exhaust ports as well as spark plugs carried by the outer rotor. Seals which are provided in the inner rotor slots press against the two flat sides to help retain the compression and combustion forces within their respective chambers. The seals are aided by compression gases admitted to their back side through openings in the inner rotor.